Informist, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025

By Pallavi Singhal

NEW DELHI – Chana acreage in Rajasthan is likely to rise by 16% in the 2025-26 crop year (Jul-Jun) in the upcoming rabi sowing season, driven by ample rains, Rajasthan's Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena told Informist. The acreage, the minister said, is likely to expand in regions of West Rajasthan which typically sow the pulse during winter. The state had sown chana on about 2 million hectares of land last year.

"We have already conducted drone surveys and found regions where sowing will increase. We know for a fact that sowing will rise by 16%, and production could be even higher as yields are likely to be better due to surplus monsoon this season," Meena said. Till Sept. 18, the state has received 66?ove normal rains, with West Rajasthan having received 72?ove normal rains in the southwest monsoon season.

The Hanumangarh-Sri Ganganagar-Bikaner belt of Rajasthan, which generally grows the pulse, has received anywhere from 50-138?ove normal rains this season. "Rajasthan is mostly a dry but rain-fed state. Above normal late-season monsoon rainfall in August and September has helped conserve moisture in the soil, crucial for the germination and growth of chana seedlings when the sowing season begins in October. We are very hopeful of a bumper harvest this time," Meena said.

Rajasthan is a major contributor to India's total pulses production, with a share of around 19% of the national output in recent years, making it one of the top pulse-producing states alongside Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Chana is the most consumed legume in the country and accounts for over 70% of total rabi production and for over 33% of the total legume consumption of the country.

The production is also likely to rise on the back of the central government's measures, as per a senior official of the agriculture ministry. "We see chana acreage rising not just in Rajasthan but across the country. We have asked states to work on their procurement systems better this time and procure all chana and tur at the minimum support prices," the official said.

The government's ambitious plans to procure a record 4.5 million tonnes of pulses in 2024-25 crop year had fallen through, with it having to close procurement under 1.5 million tonnes. The chana procurement ended at 320,000 tonnes, way below the sanctioned amount of 2.8 million tonnes, while tur procurement wrapped up under 600,000 tonnes, much below the 1.3 million tonnes sanctioned. End

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

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